Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-11

1 oo =. ~ ......!ooo-4 ..................3,0o U.s.
500 :" 1856 Ito March ioj. $3.50
"There has been, therefore, reduction
Of 1892 in the number of licensed saloons
in the city of Chicago since the actual
reign of high license.
"Fourthly, the saloons thus closed were
the most orderly, the least patronized, and
the least Objectionable in the city, being
commonly attachments to groceries in
sparsely settled sections, where bar was
kept for the local convenience of custom
ers:' The grecers could afford to pay the
low license fee, on small patronage, as m
accommodation. When the fee Vas made
$500, the patronage was not sufficient, and
the bar was closed. This is no mere guess.
The writer has himself personally inter-
viewed policemen on their beats, the
police headquarters, the Mayors Office,
and the license Office, and from all four
quarters he has received just one testimony
-towit: The gilded saloons are all run
ming as usual, every low dive has been
kept in full blast, Chicago's Black Hole
is as black as ever, and along all the main
arteries and througed ways Of the city not
a saloon has been closed.
Hence, in conceding this item of fewer
saloons to the high-license side of the
scale, it must be borne in mind that it goes
there with the abatement and limitation of
these four interchangeable facts.
Better saloons, is the third item claim
ed for the high-license side. Here we de-
muir. This was the promise. But it has
been an apple of Sodom, turning to ashes.
For proof, we cite the testimony Of Chi
cagos officials above referred to. We cite,
also, this terrible arraignment by the last
grand jury Of Cook County: Dives OF
the lowest order defy the city ordinance by
keeping open from dawn until midnight,
and from midnight till dawn, wherein con
gregate disreputable women, thieves, and
criminals we'll known to the police. What
is known as the "dago shop" nuisance-the
federation of dens of iniquity on prominent
thoroughfares, under the guise of oyster
and ice-cream saloons, but which are Ii
censed to do a dram shop business by the
city Of Chicago-is becoming entirely toe
prominent. To such places may be traced
the ultimate ruin of thousands of young
girls and unsuspecting females
I'VE cite, further, the testimony from
Nebraska, where the license is 1000. The
man who drafted the bill and urged il
through the Legislature says: 'The effec,
has been bitter disappointment, increas-
ing the worst evils of the traffic The
Christian Hour, Of Omaha, says: 1T has
oSAAo VIC ot1AoOlle 444OlO N1luu ever 1uLO DOLL
tics. The whole system of license
has corrupted our police force and lower
courts, until it is a mockery to call then
courts of justice; they are dens of thieves
Gambling bells are open at $25 q month
generally in connection with the "tory" So.
looms.
"All this is in exact accord with the na.
ture of the case. You cannot improve al
iniquity by washing it. Better saloons is
better badness, improved vice, a mora
contradiction. Vice gilded is simply 8
smoother road down hill. The better YOU
make saloon, the worse you make it fol
unwary feet. Ask the mothers whose bows
are first learning to be out after nightfail
The swirl of the pool at the outer and al.
Turing edge is no better than the swir
near the center, where the man goes down
BY what possible trick OF moral legerde.
main can the saloon that makes candidates
for perdition be made an improvement OF
the saloon that sends men on into perdi-
ton! Those thousands of young. unsus-
pecting girls that the Chicago police ties.
tify OF before grand juries, can they be
gotten into the vilest doggeries? Not at the
first! The bait must be gilded. viii yo,
call that gilded bait better? Your candle
Judgment on this point, good reader! l.
not the saloon we license. that sells drinks
by the glass, under whatever guise, a mora
abominntion? And now. with the scales i,
our judicial hands, must we not refuse t.
let this item, better suloons,' 90 to thu
high license side?
LESS drinking is fourth item claimed
for high license. Again we demur. A.
against any perceptible diminution. we CD.